UNIT 5 PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES

Structure
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Learning Outcomes
5.2 What is Presentation
5.3 Categories of Presenters
5.3.1 Announcer/Compere
5.3.2 News Reader
5.3.3 Narrator/Voiceover Artist
5.3.4 Radio Jockey
5.3.5 Commentator
5.3.6 Anchor/Host
5.3.7 Stock Characters

5.4 Requirements for a Presenter

5.5 Script for Presentation
5.6 Voice Training for Presentation
5.7 Styles of Presentation
5.8 Do’s and Don’ts While Presenting a Programme
5.9 Let Us Sum Up
5.11 Further Readings
5.12 Check Your Progress: Possible Answers

5.0 INTRODUCATION
In the previous four units of this block on Radio Journalism you learnt about the
unique attributes of radio medium, script writing, news gathering and news
production. In this last unit of the block we will try to understand the skills
required to present a radio programme in a manner so as to make it interesting,
effective and successful in the process of communication. You will agree that any
programme will fail to make the desired impact, despite having good content and
a well written script, if it is not presented attractively. In this unit we will examine
the attributes of a good presenter and learn how to work on a script before
presenting it over the microphone.

5.1 LEARNING OUTCOMES

After going through the unit you should be able to.
 understand the importance of presentation;
 identify the categories of presenters;
 discuss the attributes of a good presenter;
 transform a script to make it suitable for radio presentation; and
 develop your own presentation style with due preparation and practice. 59
Radio Journalism
5.2 WHAT IS PRESENTATION
Overall impact of a radio programme depends on the script, production quality
and also the way of presentation. You may argue that presentation and packaging
is a part of production quality and that is subsumed into it. However, being an
aural medium, the selection of words for the script is as important as the rendering
of it i.e. presentation. Therefore, it is imperative that the producers of radio
programmes should learn about the presentation techniques equally well because
that can make or mar the entire production.
In our day to day communication and conversation, facial expressions and body
gestures add a lot of meaning to the spoken words, thereby helping in understanding
and adding more impact to the message. But a radio presenter does not have the
visual support of such facial expressions and body movements during
communication, as listeners cannot see him/her, and therefore one has to put more
efforts and creativity into the art of rendering the speech to make it memorable
and impactful.
For our understanding, presentation broadly means packaging of the content in a
radio programme and technique means art, method or procedure for attractive
and effective presentation. Radio being a medium of sound, radio presenters
should possess a pleasant, good quality voice, command over the language/dialect
of broadcast, good diction and flawless pronunciation as well as confidence and
flow in speaking. They should have what is called ‘the gift of the gab’, meaning
‘the ability to speak with eloquence and fluency’.

5.3 CATEGORIES OF PRESENTERS

Presenters are, in effect, representatives of the broadcasting organisations and act
as links between the organisation and listeners. While the internal hierarchy and
programme production team of the organisation remain in the background, a
listener identifies with the presenters and establishes a rapport with them. A
presenter can be compared, to some extent, to a sales-person where he/she is
expected to know all about the nature, content and mood of the programme
which he/she is going to present. Presenter’s success lies in compelling the listener
to listen that programme. It can be easily seen that a presenter’s role becomes
crucial in establishing and then maintaining a vibrant rapport with the unseen
listener. It is even more so, when the profile of the unseen listener is complex and
diversified, which is almost always the case in India due to its bewildering diversity.
For a public service broadcaster, which has to cater to and serve all strata of the
society without any form of discrimination and exclusion, this challenge is even
more pronounced and thus the role of the presenter assumes even greater
significance. Radio presenters can be classified into various categories which may
sometime appear overlapping but subtle variations give rise to various forms.
Some of the prominent categories of Radio Presenters are discussed below.

5.3.1 Announcer/Compere
Announcers have been the traditional identity of Radio Stations, particularly in All
India Radio. Sometimes by just listening to a voice you can say which AIR station
you are tuned to.
The broad general category where all presenters have to start is the announcer/
60 compere category. Announcers generally announce all of the important information
relating to the public, including programme details, time, commercials, public Presentation Technique
interest messages and sometimes weather reports.
An announcer essentially introduces the broadcast of a particular programme/item
with all its necessary details. These details vary as per the nature and genre of the
programme. For instance, if it is a talk, then these details include the subject or
the title of the talk, the name of the talker, i.e. the person delivering the talk and
a very short and crisp introduction of the talker (to justify why this particular
individual was chosen to deliver the talk on this particular subject). If it is an
interview, then the announcer has to tell the listeners about the subject or theme,
the name of the expert or interviewee (again with a short introduction to justify
his selection) and also the name and a shorter introduction of the interviewer. If
it is a discussion, then there ought to be more than two participants and a
moderator who need to be introduced along with the subject. Other genres like
poetry recitation, short stories, features and documentaries, radio drama,
magazines, commentaries, etc.; almost all have a title and a cast of performers as
well as producers, editors, voice over artists and so on, to be announced by the
announcer.
Radio stations broadcast music programmes of great variety such as Hindustani
or Carnatic classical music (vocal or instrumental), light classical music, light
music, folk music, western music and of course, the highly popular film music.
These also have a galaxy of performers in different roles and capacities. The
announcer has to announce most of such names. All names do not have to be
announced right at the beginning but some major names are required to be
announced. However, after the main programme has been broadcast, all names
have to be announced. Announcer’s task is not confined to just announcing the
names of the performers or participants, it also involves offering the listeners an
insight into the programme in a way that makes the listener curious about the
programme.
Announcements are brief and clear messages to provide information of the station’s
name, which frequency the listener is tuned into, the time, day and date and which
programme or musical number one is going to listen to. Traditionally, the flow of
such announcements on radio used to be in an impressive but formal monotone.
In comparison, the compering was informal and relaxed. Compering essentially is
an informal, intimate and conversational style of announcement. In AIR stations,
there are comperes for special audience programmes such as programmes for
women, youth, children, farmers, industrial workers, defense personnel, etc. These
comperes speak in the language and/or dialect with the tone and style suited to
that particular target audience.
Now a days announcements in general have become quite chatty with involving
more than one person so that a conversational style can be adopted to convey
the information. Of course, such multiple person presentations were in vogue
earlier also but mostly in special audience programmes.
Most of the times, the presenters have to do the necessary pre-research and then
scripting for a certain on-air presentation. As and when required, they help in
some broadcast related activities also like scheduling, editing, etc. Successful
announcers are usually quite popular with their listeners and occasionally make
public appearances to promote special events.

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Radio Journalism As has been mentioned, announcers also need strong writing skills, because they
normally write their own material. In addition, the announcer should be able to
improvise all or some part of the show. It is crucial that an announcer has the
temperament to work under tight deadlines.
Sometimes some of the announcements have some peculiar names of people,
places, procedures etc. These announcements need to be pre-written and properly
rehearsed in advance before going for broadcast. As an illustration, here is an
announcement for a Carnatic Music programme, which might present some
difficulties of pronunciation and diction to a north Indian presenter, if he/she has
not prepared well:
“You are tuned to the Rajdhani Channel of All India Radio, Delhi on Medium
Wave 450.5 Metres that is 666 Kilohertz. In our today’s programme of Carnatic
Music, we present to you a vocal recital by Pilavula Thakke Usha. Accompanying
her are R. Hemlatha on Violin, S. Vaidyanath on Mridangam and Ravichandran
on Ghatam. First listen to a composition written by Thyagaraja in Raga Hansdhwani
which is in Khanda Chapu Taal.”

5.3.2 News Reader

The news is an important segment of programming. You are aware that a News
Reader reads the script of a bulletin prepared by the News Editor and team.
However, in some radio stations, just like television news anchors, news readers
are also journalists. In such cases they perform a dual role of journalist cum
presenter. The first and foremost quality that a News Reader should have is good
voice which is steady but not shrill or jarring. He/she should be fluent in reading
with perfect diction, pronunciation, pace, pauses and pitch. The reading should
reflect a sense of confidence which comes with a good understanding of the news
content included in the bulletin. He/she should have adequate knowledge of the
events and happenings within the country and around the world. An aptitude for
journalism would be a great asset in this regard. In any emergency or crisis
situation, he/she should remain unruffled and be able to present even unrehearsed,
handwritten news items flawlessly.
The basic difference between news reading and presentation of other programmes
is that news is presented in a formal, fact of the matter and objective style in
which emotions are avoided.

5.3.3 Narrator/Voiceover Artist

Features and documentaries are among the most popular radio formats. In these
programmes the linking narration is the backbone which ties up different channels
of content together. When you listen to a radio feature the first thing that attracts
you is the voice of its narrator. Depending on the demands of the theme of a
feature or documentary, an artist is chosen to do the narration so that he/she can
enhance the effect of the programme with his/her unique voice quality and narration
style suited for that particular programme.
Voiceover is a term used mainly in television production. In a TV programme or
documentary when you do not see the speaker on the screen and only his/her
voice is used for the programme, it is known as voiceover. Voice over artists
these days have a huge role in dubbing dramatic programmes or films from one
language to the other. Cartoon and animation programmes also utilise their talent
62 and skills in a big way.
5.3.4 Radio Jockey Presentation Technique

You might have come across terms like DJ, VJ and RJ. These terms basically
define the role of a person in an event, activity or broadcast.
DJ or Disc Jockey presents and plays film or pop music on popular demand
usually in a public place like a restaurant, club, etc. or during a celebratory event
like a wedding. The term comes from the days when primarily discs or records
were played for music.
VJ or Video Jockey is also an announcer who presents music videos as well as
live performances mostly on private commercial television stations.
Radio Jockey or RJ has become the most popular term now for a radio broadcast
presenter. You can see that the role and the task are essentially same that of a
radio presenter, announcer or compere. The novelty is in nomenclature. Now it
is commonplace to hear radio presenters not only using the term RJ but prefixing
it with their broadcast name in such a way that it becomes a part of the name.
And today RJs are commanding great popularity for themselves as well as for
their respective organisations.

5.3.5 Commentator
The word ‘Commentator’ immediately brings to mind sports commentators. Around
the world, sports commentary has been one of the most popular forms of radio
programming. In India, we have had many iconic sports commentators like Jasdev
Singh, Sushil Doshi, Murli Manohar Manjul, Suresh Saraiya, etc. Many people
feel that one of the most important factors contributing to the popularity of Cricket
in India has been its radio commentary on AIR stations. Sports commentary has
not been confined to Cricket alone, Jasdev Singh himself was a legendary Hockey
commentator.
The art and craft of radio commentary does not limit itself to just sports
commentary. There can be many kinds of non-sports commentators also,
specialising in some particular field, activity or event. If you have heard the
Republic Day Parade Radio Commentary from Rajpath in New Delhi describing
all the action as it happens, you would know how the commentators create an
exact word and sound picture of the parade for the people who are listening to
the commentary. A commentator is usually, but not necessarily an expert in a
specific field of activity, has good command over language, extensive vocabulary,
and is willing to research and understand the intricacies of an event which the
radio station plans to broadcast live. The occasion could be related to national
events, sports, public life, cultural happenings, scientific conclaves, community
events, etc.
Keen observation and ability to describe any happening extempore in a lucid
manner are essential attributes of a good commentator.

5.3.6 Anchor/Host
Anchors are radio programme hosts who put together different items seamlessly
using sound bites and narratives. Anchors usually conduct and moderate live
broadcasts with provision for real time listeners’ participation through phone calls,
SMS, e-mails, etc. along with the participation and interaction with subject matter
specialists, experts and opinion makers normally present in the studio. Anchoring
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Radio Journalism is arguably perhaps the most complex of the range of jobs a presenter can
undertake. During the special radio shows and phone-in programmes, anchors
handle various tasks such as dial outs also.

5.3.7 Stock Characters

To attract and retain audience through appropriate use of dramatic elements,
many a times comperes perform as Stock Characters, i.e. they adopt the names
and mannerisms of such nature that over a period of time, these characters
become instantly recognisable to members of a the target audience group. Because
of this, use of stock characters in skits and family serials is very popular.
Check Your Progress 1
Note : 1) Use the space provided below for your answers.
2) Compare your answers with those given at the end of this unit.
1. What is Radio presentation?
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2. What are the categories of radio presenters?
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5.4 REQUIREMENTS FOR A PRESENTER

Good presenters can be identified by their performance, but you may wonder as
to which are the inherent and acquired skills that make somebody a competent
presenter. As it has been mentioned earlier, there are certain attributes which one
needs to have in order to become a good presenter. Those who have a pleasant
and well-modulated voice, good sense of timing, rich vocabulary, correct
pronunciation and command over the language can hope to succeed as radio
presenters. The most successful presenters attract a large audience by combining
a pleasing personality (in case of TV) and voice with an appealing style. For being
a good radio presenter, an attractive voice, good pronunciation and articulation
are basic requirements.
Senior and experienced broadcasters have enumerated from time to time, the
attributes of a good radio presenter. If we collate those with some other important
aspects we may summarise these as follows:
Radio is a very personal and intimate medium. It requires talking to your audience
on a one-to-one basis. The presenter must talk to the audience in a very personal
and intimate tone. Speak as if you are talking to a friend - an equal and intelligent
person, never talk at or talk down to your listeners. Therefore, always imagine
a friend’s face on the microphone and then talk to him or her. Radio is for talking
to a person. Even if lakhs of people are listening to you, they are doing so
individually and not collectively as a crowd. Hence, always speak as if you are
addressing one person.
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The first and foremost responsibility of those speaking into the microphone is to Presentation Technique
communicate in an easily intelligible way. Therefore, the radio performer needs to
first develop and then further refine his/her speaking skills – articulation, enunciation,
intonation, pronunciation, variety and naturalness. That is why education to enhance
communication skills has become an increasingly important factor.

The language used should be colloquial, spoken language which we use in our day
to day conversations. It should not be offensive or vulgar. Good taste and decency
should always be maintained.

Build your own style. Understand your own personality and try to be yourself.
Don’t imitate or copy anyone else. People would like it if you are honest to
yourself and speak with conviction and self belief.

As far as possible, try to maintain an equal distance from the microphone. Getting
too close or moving too far away will affect the level of your voice. Similarly, you
also need to watch your angle to the microphone when you are speaking.
Sometimes people tend to spread all pages of their script on a table and start
reading. That results in continuous change in the angle of your mouth to the
microphone which may adversely affect the quality of your voice and delivery.

While reading take a single sheet of paper in your hand, keep it behind the
microphone and after finishing the page, put it down gently. Normally the news
readers fix each single page on a cardboard and pick these one after the other.
That would be the best practice. However, if that is not possible, then fold the
corners of the pages of your script and lift them one by one and after reading,
put these gently on the table. Softly picking up and dropping of a sheet makes
less noise than dragging it on the table, which creates a paper rustling sound. The
microphones installed in a broadcast studio are very sensitive and the rustling
noise picked up by them is very irritating as well as distracting.

Sitting posture is also important when you are broadcasting or recording a script.
If the chair is not comfortable; it is too high or too low; it will affect the quality
of your delivery. If you are sitting in a slouching position, you may not be able
to speak with the desired intensity. Presentation is a performance and it has to
be taken in that spirit. That means you have to be agile and alert while speaking.

Good sense of humour will always enhance your performance as a presenter.

Communication made in a very serious manner is not always desirable. Try to
have a smile and warmth in your tone as you speak into the microphone. You
should be aware that you have only the medium of sound to convey your message,
thoughts, information and emotions. You can’t use actions, gestures or a visible
smile to support your communication. So, try to put everything into your voice,
which is required as per the script or the nature of the programme. Read it with
interest excitement, humour and above all a personal touch. Remember, a smile
can be heard.

Activity – 1: Write a paragraph about your favourite announcer/Compare/

RJ from any channel or station, elucidating his/her qualities as a radio
presenter.

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Radio Journalism
5.5 SCRIPT FOR PRESENTATION
While writing a script for Radio presentation the following things must be kept in
mind:
 Radio engages the ear and not the eye. A radio broadcast is meant to be
spoken and heard, not to be written and read. Therefore the language used
should be the spoken language, which is conversational and colloquial. Choose
simple and descriptive words.
 Use simple and short sentences. Be alert about proper usage of sentence
and paragraph structures, grammatical construction and vocabulary, which
blends with the daily conversational style of the listeners and is therefore
simple and easy to follow.
 Avoid negative constructions and passive voice.
 Avoid homophones (similar sounding words that are spelt differently – such
as ‘aloud’ and ‘allowed’) and alliterations as these create confusion of sound
and meaning.
 A person’s designation should be mentioned before his name unlike the
practice in print.
 While using numbers - especially multi-digit figures, it is advisable to round
them off and use with words like approximately, around, more than etc.
 For ease of reading before the microphone, use good quality of paper. The
copy should preferably be cleanly typed, with double line spacing and enough
margins on both sides. Write or print only on one side of the sheet. It is also
advisable to use a bigger font size and divide the matter into paragraphs.
 Incorporate all the necessary instructions in the script.
 Avoid abbreviations and use of words that are unfamiliar.
 Do not split the sentence on to two pages. Always complete a sentence on
the same page. If the space is not enough, start it from the next page. Always
leave enough margin while writing for any last moment corrections.
 The best way to improve your script as well as rendering is to read it aloud.
When you read it aloud to yourself, you are more likely to identify and make
the desired changes in the script and also improve your presentation.
 Imaginative use of proverbs and idioms adds a lot of colour to the language
and helps in effective communication.

5.6 VOICE TRAINING FOR PRESENTATION

Every programme tells a story – either to inform, or to educate, or to entertain
and mostly to do all the three things together. You have to use sound creatively
to tell your stories. If one speaks in a monotonous tone, it soon becomes
uninteresting. Variation in tone and pitch of our voice is modulation. A radio
broadcaster must be able to modulate his or her voice delivery to achieve maximum
possible impact. Similarly, effective diction is very important. Diction is choice and
use of words in speech and writing which decides the style of enunciation and can
66 make or mar a radio broadcast. Good intonation, i.e. rise and fall of voice while
speaking is also important for breaking monotony and adding interest. Correct Presentation Technique
technique for breathing while speaking is another crucial factor for a good broadcast.
Employing suitable rhythms of speech in tune with the topic and target audience
is also desirable.

5.7 STYLES OF PRESENTATION

In good old days presenters like Amin Sayani, Tabassum, Harish Bhimani, etc.
were known and appreciated for their style and enjoyed a celebrity status amongst
their listeners. If you think of news reading in Hindi, the distinct styles of Devkinandan
Pandey, Ashok Vajpayee and Vinod Kashyap, etc. come to mind while for English
news reading, we remember stalwarts like Borun Haldar, Surajit Sen, Lothika
Ratnam, etc. If you think of voice over or running commentary, you are likely to
recall great broadcasters such as Melville de Mellow, Jasdev Singh, etc. In present
times, most of the RJs of FM radio channels enjoy a celebrity status due to their
distinct presentation styles.
As a radio producer you need to keep one most valuable practice in mind – allow
the content of the programme to guide you to select the appropriate presentation
style. It is always advisable to create a style of your own rather then copying or
imitating someone else.

5.8 DOS AND DON’TS WHILE PRESENTING A

PROGRAMME
 Do not tap or strike the table with your legs or any other object as it creates
a disturbing sound. Often we do it as a habit or nervousness without even
realizing.
 Change sheets of script quietly by picking up and putting down papers
carefully as the rustle of paper is irritating.
 Participants should see the cues (signals) given by the Recordist or Producer.
He/she must understand these properly and act accordingly.
 Use a participatory style of presentation and use a friendly tone. Imagine that
you are in a group discussion talking to a small group of people. Avoid
lecturing as if to a large audience.
 Use conversational language.
 Keep track of the time and properly wind up the session by thanking experts
and participants.
 Announce the theme, date and the time of the next session.
 Anchor should summarise the content in the end, preferably point wise.
 During the broadcast if there is no interaction with the listeners, anchor
should be ready with some questions to make the session interactive and
lively.
 Welcome the listeners and participants in the beginning of the programme
and thank them at the end.
 Introduce the theme and resource persons for the session in progress.
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Radio Journalism  Announce telephone, fax numbers and email ids. Help the listeners from time
to time as to how they should ask questions, giving advice such as first they
should mention their names and the places from where they are calling. They
should be advised to ask their question slowly and clearly to make sure it
has been understood by the expert.
 Invite questions and comments from the listeners and then decide the order
in which these should be responded to.
 Always keep your target audience in focus. It means you should know your
audience and also be familiar with the conditions in which the programmes
will be heard and received. Never forget whom you are talking to.
 Never use a pinned up or stapled script. Before starting the recording or
broadcast, remove the staples of the script and use one page at a time.

Activity – 2 Find out the correct pronunciation of the following words and
speak 5 times loudly to learn the correct pronunciation:

Colonel, Suite, Choir, Draught, Coward, Hypocrisy, Possessed, Aberration,

Boisterous, Charismatic
Check Your Progress 2
Note : 1) Use the space provided below for your answers.
2) Compare your answers with those given at the end of this unit.
1. What are the essential qualities of a Radio Presenter?
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2. Describe three do’s and three don’ts of effective radio presentation.
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5.9 LET US SUM UP

In this unit you have gained a fair idea of the importance of good radio presentation.
You are now familiar with the different categories of radio presenters and have
also studied the art and science of various styles of radio presentation. We have
familiarised you with some basic principles of radio which remain constant. You
have also acquired detailed knowledge of the desirable as well as avoidable
actions for ensuring a successful and effective radio communication.

5.11 FURTHER READINGS

Bakshi, R. (2019). Let’s talk on-air. Puffin.
Geller, V. (2012). Beyond Powerful Radio, 2nd Edition. Focal Press.
Stewart, P. (2010). Essential radio skills. London: A & C Black.
Trewin, J. (2003). Presenting on TV and Radio. Oxford: Focal Press.
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 Presentation Technique
5.12 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS: POSSIBLE
ANSWERS
Check Your Progress 1
1. The rendering of Radio Script into speech for listeners by a radio presenter
is called radio presentation.
2. Radio presenters are divided into several categories according to the shows
they host. These are:
a) Announcer/Compere
b) News Reader
c) Narrator/Voiceover Artist
d) Radio Jockey
e) Commentator
f) Anchor/Host
g) Stock Characters
Check Your Progress 2
1. A radio presenter should have a good command over language, along with
a well-modulated voice, correct pronunciation and good vocabulary. He/ she
needs to build a personal relationship with listeners while being able to multi-
task. A presenter should be able to communicate clearly and thus should be
articulate, with clear enunciation, and intonation. He/she should use everyday
language for the programmes.
2. Do’s
a) Use conversational tone and language
b) Always welcome and thank the experts and listeners in the begining and
at the end of the programme.
c) Mark the script for pauses and punctuations.
Don’ts
a) Don’t strike the table or anything else while recording, as it creates
disturbance.
b) Don’t make rustling sound of papers.
c) Don’t speak too fast or too slow and dont be too clost or too far from
the microphone.

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